Camellia plant named ‘GNC CAM1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named ‘GNC CAM1’, characterized by its uniform, compact, outwardly branching and low-mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; low requirement for frequent pruning to maintain uniform plant habit; yellow green and darker yellow green variegated leaves that are lightly blushed with greyed orange when developing in the spring; red purple-colored semi-double type flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Camellia sasanqua.

Cultivar denomination: ‘GNC CAM1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant, botanically known as Camellia sasanqua, commercially known as Royal Flush Shishi and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘GNC CAM1’.

The new Camellia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Camellia sasanqua ‘Shishi Gashira’, not patented. The new Camellia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant from within a population of plants of ‘Shishi Gashira’ in an outdoor nursery in El Campo, Tex. in 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Camellia plant by semi-hardwood cuttings in a controlled environment in El Campo, Tex. since July, 2011 shown that the unique features of this new Camellia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Camellia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘GNC CAM1’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘GNC CAM1’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia:

-   -   1. Uniform, compact, outwardly branching and low-mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; low         requirement for frequent pruning to maintain uniform plant         habit.     -   4. Yellow green and darker yellow green variegated leaves that         are lightly blushed with greyed orange when developing in the         spring.     -   5. Red purple-colored semi-double type flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance, tolerant to full sunlight to shade         conditions.

Plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the patent, ‘Shishi Gashira’, primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia are compact, uniform and         low-mounding in plant habit whereas plants of ‘Shishi Gashira’         are open and loose requiring frequent pruning to develop and         maintain a uniform plant habit.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia are variegated whereas         leaves of plants of ‘Shishi Gashira’ are dark green in color         without any variegation.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Camellia are red purple in color         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Shishi Gashira’ are light red         purple (pink) in color.

Plants of the new Camellia can be compared to the plants of Camellia sasanqua ‘Mine No Yuki’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the ‘Mine No Yuki’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia are uniform, compact, outwardly         branching and low-mounding in plant habit whereas plants of         ‘Mine No Yuki’ are upright, open and loose requiring frequent         pruning to develop and maintain a uniform plant habit.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia are more freely-branching than         plants of ‘Mine No Yuki’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia are variegated whereas         leaves of plants of ‘Mine No Yuki’ are dark green in color         without any variegation.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Camellia are semi-double type         and red purple in color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Mine No         Yuki’ are double type and white in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Camellia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Camellia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘GNC CAM1’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical plant of ‘GNC CAM1’ grown during the spring showing developing and fully developed leaves.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical open flower of ‘GNC CAM1’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in El Campo and Fort Worth, Tex. in 7-gallon containers in an outdoor nursery during the winter, spring and early summer and under cultural practices typical of commercial Camellia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from −3° C. to 38° C. and night temperatures ranged from −5° C. to 26° C. Plants were five years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Camellia sasanqua ‘GNC CAM1’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Camellia     sasanqua ‘Shishi Gashira’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Semi-hardwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 45 to 55 days at             temperatures about 27° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 65 to 75 days at             temperatures about 16° C. to 17° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 100 to             120 days at temperatures about 27° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 120 to             140 days at temperatures about 16° C. to 17° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white maturing to brown in color, actual color of the roots             is dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density to dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub;             uniform, compact, outwardly branching and low-mounding plant             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth             rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; lateral branches             potentially developing at every node; dense and bushy             appearance; low requirement for pruning to maintain uniform             plant habit.         -   Plant height.—About 27.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 51 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length, secondary branches:             About 21 cm. Diameter, secondary branches: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             About 45° from vertical. Texture and luster: Pubescent;             slightly glossy; woody with development. Color, young stems:             Close to 166B becoming closer to 166A with development.             Color, older stems: Close to 199A to 199B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 5.5 cm. Width: About 2.6 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Serrate. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; leathery; glossy. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: During the spring, close to N144A to             N144B with random irregular central sectors, close to             between 144A and 146A and blushed with close to 163B to             163C; during the summer, close to 146A with random irregular             central sectors, close to 147A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: During the spring, close to N144B; during the             summer, close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Darker green than 147A; midvein, close to 146A and lateral             venation, darker green than 147A; color is maintained during             the autumn and winter. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             Darker green than 146A; midvein, close to 146B and lateral             venation, darker green than 146A; color is maintained during             the autumn and winter.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; leathery;             slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color,             lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Semi-double type rotate             flowers, flowers terminal and axillary; freely flowering             habit with usually about 35 flowers and flower buds             developing per plant; flowers face mostly outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Camellia flower             during the winter and early spring in Texas.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Plants maintain good flower             substance for about three to four days on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.1 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7.5 mm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: Close to between 144A and 146A.         -   Petals and petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About 23             imbricate petals and petaloids arranged in numerous whorls.             Length: About 1.75 cm to 2.1 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm to             1.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obcordate to rounded. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 58B;             venation, close to 58B; color does not change with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 58B to 58C; venation, close to 58B to 58C; color             does not change with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About five imbricate             sepals arranged in an ovate-shaped calyx. Length: About             5.5 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Cuspidate.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery; matte.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to between 144A and             146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Aspect:             About 30° to 45° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 146A to             146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:             About 47. Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color:             Proximally, close to 52D; distally, close to NN155A. Anther             shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 1.6 mm. Anther color:             Close to 14A to 14B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 14A. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils per flower:             About five. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Style length: About             4 mm. Style color: Close to 2D. Stigma diameter: Less than             1 mm. Stigma color: Close to 2D. Ovary color: Close to 10A             to 10B.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed production have not been             observed on plants of the new Camellia to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Camellia have been observed     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, full     sunlight, shade and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Camellia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Camellia     plants to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named ‘GNC CAM1’ as illustrated and described. 